Domestic cricket goes live on FOX SPORTS

From CA:
Cricket Australia today announced the details of its 2006-07 domestic cricket competitions, including the signing of a three-year deal between Cricket Australia and FOX SPORTS to provide live and exclusive coverage of the domestic one-day competition and domestic Twenty20 series.

The deal with FOX SPORTS will see a total of 27 domestic one-day matches (out of a total of 31) being televised throughout this season with Wednesday nights becoming the prime telecast night.

The agreement will also see FOX SPORTS provide live and exclusive coverage of at least four domestic Twenty20 matches, as well as highlights packages from international matches (that have been telecast on the Nine Network) also available on FOX SPORTS later in the evening.

The major details for next year’s Australian domestic summer include:

Domestic one-day competition (formerly ING Cup)
27 out of 31 matches to be telecast live and exclusive on FOX SPORTS.
Final to be telecast on FOX SPORTS on Sunday 25 February 2007.
15 Wednesday night domestic one-day matches telecast live and exclusive on FOX SPORTS.

Pura Cup
Ten rounds (five home/five away matches) plus final on Monday 19 March 2007.
Telecast of Final live and exclusive on FOX SPORTS.
A significant increase in weekend Pura Cup cricket (up approximately by 30-40%).

Twenty20 cricket
Telecasting of several domestic Twenty20 matches live and exclusive on FOX SPORTS.
Twenty20 competition kicks-off on New Year’s Day in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.
Competition doubled in size from last year ie: 13 game competition in 2006-07 – two home and two away matches for each state between 1 January 2007 and 13 January 2007.
Some twilight and some night games.

Cricket Australia Chief Executive Officer James Sutherland said that the deal with FOX SPORTS was a fantastic result for cricket.

“Cricket Australia is committed to taking the game to as many Australians as possible and the new telecasting deal with FOX SPORTS will assist us with this goal,” he said.

“Our domestic cricket competitions are universally regarded as the strongest domestic competitions in world cricket and we’re delighted that FOX SPORTS will be making these products available to its growing subscription base. Fox’s comprehensive cricket coverage over the coming summers is a must for all Australian cricket fans,” said Mr Sutherland.

FOX SPORTS Chief Executive David Malone said the new partnership is good news for the game and its fans.

“The domestic one-day competition is set to receive the most live coverage ever, and fans will soon have access to more cricket than ever before,” he said.

“We are thrilled to be part of this historic agreement with Cricket Australia, and I thank James Sutherland and his team for the work they have put in and the foresight they have shown.

“FOX SPORTS has been working towards achieving this type of involvement with cricket in Australia for some time, and this new deal helps us move further forward in our commitment to live coverage of Australian sport,” said Mr Malone.

Mr Sutherland also said that Cricket Australia was working towards securing a new sponsor for the domestic one-day competition and domestic Twenty20 competition.

Yeah, I was thinking how Slater was signed up to commentate mainly domestic matches, much like Brayshaw did for a while. On that note, I want Dennis Commetti back commentating the domestic OD cricket, like he did just before (IIRC) the 2003 WC.